I am Cassandra Crane, I am ready
by Hungergamesunique
Summary: I am Cassandra Crane, daughter of the late Seneca Crane, after my fathers death, President Snow sent me and my remaining family to District 12. I am not sure what will happen but when I do I will be ready to fight.
1. Chapter 1

I am Cassie Green, however I used to be called Cassandra Crane. It feels different living in district 12 than the Capitol. Well different doesn't even begin describe it. Here I'm starving constantly, I live in a part called the 'seam' we are poorest of the poor. We scavenge and some days we live off only plants and water. Maybe if dad was here then it would have been easier, he had a way with people, that I and nobody else in my family possesses. I wish that he was still here, that President Snow haven't had 'finished' with him. If those stupid 'star crossed lovers' from district 12 then my dad would still be alive.

My father was Seneca Crane, the Seneca Crane. Snow murdered him after both the tributes from district 12 'won'. Snow offered me, my mother and my twin brother and sister, that if we moved to district 12 then he would spare our lives. My mother jumped at the chance, but I guess I have the brains in the family, I know that I and my siblings will pay for my father's death. Snow is that transparent, he uses fear to control the districts, which are ready to rebel any day soon. Everyone here knows that, I can feel the anger towards him and the Capitol bubbling under the surface. Like a fuse ready to blow and those victors are just the start of it. At least they have snows attention now instead of me.

I like the woods here in district 12 the most, everything is actually real and natural unlike the fakeness of the Capitol. I know that the Capitol can't see me here as I have read some files of my father, thinking that they were going to place an arena just after the boundaries of district 12. My father used to find it a pain of trying to find a new place to put the arena each year, that is unique. Well last years games were exciting enough last year, even without the arena layout.

District 12 is now my home, I don't think of the Capitol as my home no more. I will be waiting for my death sentence by snow along with 23 other kids.


	2. Chapter 2

Today at the start of dawn it is just as dreary as always in district 12, but the weather is perfect for hunting not much wind and lots of cloud. Let's hope the game is good today. I grab my old fur lined jacket and thick soled boots before leaving the little hut we live in. I was astonished when we arrived that this is the thing people lived in, but soon that feeling went away when I realised I was one of them now. I walk up to the fence and wait to listen for the hum of the electricity but nothing comes. I knew that steps away but better be safe than sorry, my father had my hearing and eyesight strengthened when I was younger, as he was worried something like this might happen.

That's when I see him, Katniss Everdeens 'cousin' Gale. We hunt regularly together, both getting better game when we do. At first we were both very weary of each other, as we knew that neither should we be in the woods as it is punishable by death. I had been following him when I seen him shoot down a 70kg deer with a single arrow. He was cursing loudly, mostly about the Capitol and snow, but I couldn't help laugh a little, he looked like a child have a tantrum. He quickly looked up and seen me, he wasn't frightened or if he was it didn't show, he marched over to me sizing me up as he came closer.

When he came to me I was debating running away or not, but I looked into his eyes and seen the hurt and anger he had, and then I knew we would be friends as he was like me. He hated the Capitol, and everything that it did and I was the exact same. It took weeks for gale to open up to me, first he would tell me small things like his favourite colour or who to go to for the best deals, but lately he has been telling me the most personal of things. I have do likewise.

Even though I have the lightest of tread, gale has hearing like a hawk, and I knew he could hear from miles away.  
"Hey, Caz" says Gale without glancing my way.  
"Awh damn you Gale, thought I was walking quietly for once"  
" not quiet enough this time" gale rarely smiles and when he does, he slightly curls his lip and looks into your eyes for a brief second, but that's enough for me.  
" I saw on the way over that the strawberries are blooming, want to go pick some?"  
" that sounds great, we can sell them to Madge. Do you want to practise archery today?"  
"If we must" I say with contained smile, even though my aim is much better I still can't beat Gale which I say is impossible, unless you are Katniss Everdeen. Gale has been teaching me for months now on how to use a bow and arrow as well as snare building which I then teach my siblings. In return I have taught him the basics of knife throwing which I learnt at a field trip to the tribute training centre with the school in the Capitol one time.

I knew that me or my siblings would have a high chance of being selected for the games, so I started preparing. The knowledge I got from Gale about plants and berries was brilliant to teach Lilly and Harry and as they grow up I will continue to fill their minds with information without them even knowing. When they are a little older I will start to teach them weapons but not before they are old enough not to tell anyone else about it.

As the sun is almost fully up in the sky we decide to call it a day, and head back to the fence before more peacekeepers are up. Several do know about our hunting as we sell our products to them but others don't and I would prefer not to be publicly executed any time soon.

I hurry home with the game in my hunting bag, when I reach there my siblings are just waking up.  
"Where have you been Cassandra?" Asks Lilly  
"It's Cassie remember, and just out for a walk" I reply " go wash your hands and call your brother for breakfast please"

As Lilly rushes off I start to prepare the food, we have got some mint leaves for the tea as well as some pigeon stew from greasy sue, which I traded some deer elf for. Greasy Sue is like a second mum to me, she knows and understands where I came from and hasn't judged for shunned me for it. I respect her highly, so our trades are always very generous to each other.


	3. Chapter 3

** 1 year later**

Katniss and Petta are both dead. They were entered again into the arena for the 3rd quarter quell, which states that the tributes will come from the remaining pool of victors. It's all a little lucky that, this was the rules of the quarter quell just as a rebellion was about to take place. All the tributes worked hard to try to get the games stopped but it never worked.

3 days into the games, Katniss and Petta were in an alliance with Finnick and Johanna. Katniss was murdered in her sleep by Johanna, who Petta then killed, just as Finnick stabbed his trident into Petta's stomach multiple times. The rebellion died along side them, as well as a little piece of Gale.

Me and Gale would still go hunting together but it wasn't the same, he was always thinking about Katniss and I had to steer him away from alcohol many times as that would not help his family survive without him. But Gale pulled through as always and is slowly recovering over time.

Today is reaping day of the 76th annual hunger games. I get up at dawn, trying not to wake my siblings or mother who came home late from work last night. I pull on my jacket and boots, and slowly walk across town towards Gale and My woods. I slowly try to put my thoughts together both my siblings are 13 which means they are eligible to be picked. I could only volunteer to save Lilly if I needed to, so what about harry? How would they eat if I was picked?

The unanswered questions die down when I see Gale, everything makes more sense with him around. Just his presence makes everything better, but he's a bit edgy today with it being the games and all.

"Hey Gale" I say, sinking down to the ground next to him

"Hey Cassie"

"Gale, how many times is your name in that bowl?"

"57, but this is my lasts year, how about you?"

"Only 19 times and I only have 2 more years left"

"Well may the odds be ever in your favour" he says in a fake Capitol accent.

" if I do get picked, look after them? They won't survive 10 minutes otherwise"I beg

"That was always going to happen"

" and I will do the same for yours if it happens to be you"I reassure him

Me and Gale return back to our own homes and start preparing to get ready for the reaping.

My mother has laid out one of my old Capitol dresses, it is a summer frock which is yellow with a fitted belt and pinched at the waist to show off my figure. I put it on and look in the mirror. Staring back at me, is a girl I used to recognise, she was the no care in the world girl, the spoilt Capitol girl. This is the first time, I felt vaguely pretty since we moved to district 12 and I don't like it, I don't like remembering the old me.

"Hurry up Cassie, you're going to be late for the reaping" shouts my mother

"Coming" I shout back

"Good luck my children" shouts my mother as we leave the house.

I walk hand in hand with Lilly and Harry to the square, where the peacekeepers are putting the last touches to the stage and surrounding areas. We get our fingers pricked, where Lilly starts to cry at the pain, but before I have time to comfort her she is being taking away to the 13-year-old section by peacekeepers. I walk confidently over to the 16-year-old girls section, cautiously looking around for Gale. I spot him in the 18-year-old section and he gives me a wee wink, which gives me support. He knows me so well.

Before I can return the favour, Effie trinket walks onto the stage. She is wearing the most beautiful red sparkly high-heeled shoes, however she cannot walk very well in them. Her dress matches her shoes which is also red and sparkly with a large bow to one side, her hair is in the usual Effie trinket up-do. She waddled over to the microphone before introducing the mayor of district 12.

He gives a mind numbing boring speech about panel before handing back the stage to Effie. Effie trots over to the girls reaping bowl, her hand rummaged from side to side before picking up two names. She drops one back into the bowl and walks back to the microphone. She starts to open the card and pauses for great effect before reading the name. "Cassie Green"

My only thought was how obvious that it was going to happen. Snow was just that transparent. As I walk towards the stage, my mothers muffled cries can be heard through the silence. The crowd is probably staring at me thinking they we have another pathetic underfed bloodbath tribute again this year. But no, I will fight I will come home.

Effie congratulates me on being the lucky chosen one before tottering off to the boys bowl. She grabs a name from the top and walks back to the microphone.

She reads the name and I head myself gasp.

Timothy Hawthorne.

I instantly look to Gale, he looks confused and he doesn't know what to do. Everyone in the district know about our friendship so they are as shocked as we are. But then the saviour comes in.

A scrawny 17-year-old boy from the orphanage steps forward and volunteers. Timothy is sent back to the 14-year-old section with a confused expression on his face. No one knows why Steve Backshaw volunteered but I am eternally grateful for it.

Effie asks us to shake hands and we do, he leans in and whispers in my ear "I'm going to die anyway, might as well save a little kid"

I drop his hand and give him a massive hug on stage in front of the whole of panem, he returns the hug. Peacekeepers lead us away to waiting rooms where our visitors will meet us to say goodbye. The inside of the room is a rich red with intricate patterns on the sofas and cushions. The walls are a dark cream, with a carpeted floor which is rare in district 12.

As I sit down on the sofa, Lilly, Harry and my mother come rushing in. We all embrace in a big bear hug before I say my individual goodbyes to each of them. My mother takes off her engagement ring and hands me it, she wants it to he my token, so I have a bit of them and my father in the arena. This sentimental gift brings the tears back on again. They soon are dragged out by the peacekeepers.

My next and last visitor is Gale, he gives me advice on how to stay alive but I am not paying attention, I am looking at Gale trying to remember him thoroughly before he has to go. I begin to say my final goodbyes to him when he stops me with a kiss. I had never thought of him like this, he had just confused me. He was suppose to be like a brother but maybe he liked him? I just kissed him back but all too soon the peacekeepers came in.

The peacekeepers escort me and Steve to the train where camera crews are all waiting to get photos or comments of us. Neither of us saying anything or smile, we walk straight onto the train. However Effie makes us stand at the window and wave 'happily' before the train is allowed to leave.

The train however is not as posh as I used to have but Effie still brags on about it. I make it sound like I am so shocked by the beauty but I couldn't care. I sit on a isolated window seat, away from the group trying to catch a glimpse of my home before it vanishes away. I am dreading returning to the Capitol where all the bad nightmares are. Who knows if I will ever see district 12 again?


End file.
